Edwin van der Sar Almost Joined Liverpool Before Choosing Juventus

When the late 1990s saw Liverpool searching for a top-class goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar almost became their man. The Dutch keeper revealed he had to choose between Liverpool and Juventus, ultimately letting his heart guide him to Italy. Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, van der Sar said he was drawn to Juventus for its rich history, iconic players, and the prestige of Serie A, which was the leading league at the time. The Bianconero jersey and the legacy of legendary goalkeepers like Dino Zoff intrigued him.

Van der Sar spent two seasons at Juventus from 1999 to 2001. Although he admitted it was not his peak period, he appreciated the experience and the warmth of his teammates, including Ferrara, Iuliano, Zidane, Inzaghi, Zambrotta, and Davids, who welcomed him with dinners where he never had to pay. He acknowledged that facing criticism was part of football when performance dipped.